Clamping device for bobbins and the like



March 18, 1969 F. Pos i|L ET CLAMPING DEVICE FOR BOBBINS AND THE LIKEFiled Dec. 1, 1966 hzvd {1 M I IN VEN TOR.6

1417M A H Unite 3,433,433 CLAMPING DEVICE FOR BOBBINS AND THE LIKEFrantisek Pospisil, Usti nad Orlici, and Jii-i Elias, Brandys nadOrlici, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Vyzkumny Ustav Bavlnarsky, Usti nadOrlici, Czechoslovakia Filed Dec. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 598,356 Claimspriority, application Czechoslovakia, Dec. 1, 1965,

7,189/ 65 US. Cl. 242-12951 Int. Cl. B65h 49/00, 19/00, 17/02 10 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cross-references to related applications Anautomatic bobbin changing device in which the clamping device hereindisclosed may be utilized, is disclosed in our copending applicationentitled Bobbin Changing Device, filed on Dec. 1, 1966 under Ser. No.598,259.

Background of the invention The invention relates to clamping devices ingeneral, and more particularly to clamping devices for supportingbobbins in textile machines.

It is well known that yarn is wound, usually immediately after itsmanufacture, upon bobbins preparatory to utilization in thetextile-manufacturing industry. Yarn manufacturing machines are highlyautomated and operate at great speed and with considerable output.Heretofore, however, the bobbin holding devices into which an emptybobbin tube is clamped so that yarn may be wound thereon have made itvery difficult to attain a similar high speed for the winding ofbobbins. The reason for this has been that, although yarn can be woundonto empty bobbin tubes at considerable speed, the ejection or removalof the fully wound bobbin from the bobbin holder and the introduction ofa new and empty bobbin tube into the bobbin holder have been relativelyslow so that much of the time gained by speeding up the actual windingprocess is lost by the exchange of a full bobbin for an empty bobbintube. In particular, prior-art bobbin mounting devices have been of suchtype as to preclude the automatic substitution of empty bobbin tubes forfully wound bobbins. Obviously, automation and the resulting outputincrease in yarn manufacturing apparatus is of little value if the yarnproduced cannot be further processed by winding onto bobbin tubes withsimilar efiiciency in the next following manufacturing step.

Furthermore, known prior-art devices require relatively large amounts ofspace since the arms holding the bobbin tubes must be rotated orotherwise moved relative to one another.

Summary of the invention Having the above comments in mind it is ageneral object of the present invention to provide a clamping device,particularly for supporting bobbins in a textile machine, which is notsubject to the disadvantages outlined earlier.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide States Patent3,433,433 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 such a clamping device which is wellsuited for the utilization of automation in the substitution of emptybobbin tubes for fully wound bobbins.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a clamping devicewhich requires relatively little space.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a clamping device ofthe type outlined above which is simple to construct, and thereforeinexpensive.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a clamping device asset forth which is highly reliable in its operation.

In accordance with these and other objects of the invention our novelclamping device, which is particularly suited for supporting bobbins ina textile machine, comprises a support structure which defines a gap,and projecting means which is carried by the support structure. Theprojecting means in turn comprises two projecting elements which aremounted at opposite sides of the gap and at least one of these elementsis movable transversely of the gap between a first and second positionin which it is spaced from the other element by a lesser and a greaterdistance, respectively. The clamping device in accordance with theinvention further comprises biasing means operatively connected with theaforementioned one projecting element :for the purpose of permanentlybiasing this one projecting element to the first position thereof. Thus,a tubular bobbin-core member whose axial length exceeds the lesserdistance between the two projecting elements, can be releasably securedto the support structure by being inserted into the gap transversely ofthe direction of movement of the one projecting element, causing thesame to be temporarily deflected to the second position thereof.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration ofthe novel clamping device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional detail view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Description of the preferred embodiments Discussing now the drawing indetail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that on a base 1,which may be part of the frame of a textile machine, there are providedtwo elongated arms 4. The arms 4 are rigidly connected to one another bya traverse member 6 so that they are not movable relative to oneanother. However, they are movable with reference to the support 1 andfor this purpose one end of each arm 4 is turnably secured to a supportelement 2 so that the arms 4 are swingable about an axis 3 extendingthrough these support elements 2.

The opposite ends of the arms 4 are arranged to engage a bobbin 7 whichis to be supported between these arms and it will be evident that thespacing of the arms 4 by the traverse member 6 is dictated by the axiallength of the bobbins 7 which are to be clamped between the arms.

Turning now to FIG. 2 it will firstly be noted that the bobbins 7consist of a yarn package and a bobbin tube 20 onto which the yarnpackage is wound, for instance by means of cross-winding as indicated inFIG. 2. It is the tubes 20 which are to be supplied in empty conditionto the novel clamping device so as to be secured thereto, and the fullywound bobbin is subsequently to be removed from the clamping device.

FIG. 2 shows that the free ends of the arms 4 each comprise an inwardlyextending pivot portion '8. These pivot portions extend in the directiontoward one another, as is clearly evident from FIG. 2. A bearing 9surrounds and is supported by each of the pivot portions 8, and in turneach of the bearings 9 supports a disc-like inner collar 10 which isrotatable with the respective bearing 9. It is evident from FIG. 2 thatthe collars 10 are provided with an edge face which tapers in thedirection away from the gap defined between the free ends of the arms 4,that is in the direction towards the associated arm 4. This edge face isidentified with reference numeral 11. It will be further noted that thecollars 10 are radially recessed axially inwardly of the edge faces 11to provide an annular wall 12 of smaller overall diameter than thediameter of the collar 10 measured across the edge faces 11.

The wall 12 supports an annular base member or abut ment collar 13 whichmay be secured to the collar 10 by means of a friction fit or in anothersuitable manner. Obviously, the abutment collar 13 is rotatable with thecollar 10 on the bearing 9. The abutment collar 13 itself has securedthereto an outer collar 14, for instance by establishing a friction fitbetween the cylindrical outer wall portion of the collar 13 and thecylindrical wall portion of the outer collar 14. The collar 14 has asecond wall portion which tapers conically in the direction towards thegap defined between the respective arms 4 and which thus forms with thetapering edge face 11 of the collar '10 and with the abutment collar 13a channel-shaped annular space 16 which is open on the side facing thegap between the arms 4 and which conically tapers in the directiontowards this open side.

An annular carrier 17 is received in this space 16 audit will be seenthat the carrier 17 has a cross-section corresponding to the frustum ofa cone. Inasmuch as the base of the cone is wider than the open side ofthe space 16, that is the opening defined between the wall portion 15 ofcollar 14 and the edge face 11 of collar 10, only a part of the annularcarrier 17 can extend outwardly through this opening and partly crossthe gap defined between the two arms 4. A suitable biasing means, suchas a spring 18, is inserted into the space 16 and bears against thecollar 13 on the one hand and against the interior surface of theannular carrier 17 on the other hand to thereby urge the carrier 17 toits outermost position in which it extends partially across the gapbetween the arms 4.

It will be evident that the entire assembly consisting of the elements9, 10, 13, '14 and 17 is rotatable about the pivot portion 8.

It will also be evident how the novel clamping device operates when afresh bobbin core tube 20 is to be secured thereto, or when a fullywound bobbin 7 is to be removed therefrom. In FIG. 2 a bobbin 7including a bobbin-core tube 20 is shown secured to the clamping deviceand it will be evident that, when this is to be removed, it is simplynecessary to exert pressure on the bobbin 7 in the directiontransversely of the gap, that is transversely of the movement of thecarriers 17. These carriers 17 which extend into the open ends of thetube 20 or, if desired, into recesses provided in the end walls of asolid member corresponding to the tube 20, are deflected inwardly intothe respective spaces 16 when such pressure is exerted on the bobbin 7so that the same can be simply and reliably removed from the novelclamping device. Once the bobbin 7 is moved, the carriers 17 will snapback into their extended position and the device will be ready to accepta new bobbin-core tube 20. This can be simply inserted by a reverseprocess in which the tube is placed adajacent to the gap and is insertedtransversely of the gap by pushing it against the carriers 17 which willyield until the tube is properly inserted into the gap existing betweenthe arms 4 at which point it will be centered by the return of thecarrier 17 to their extended position and will be firmly held forrotation and in preparation for the application of yarn thereon.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawing, and particularly in FIG. 2,shows both carriers 17 to be biased outwardly for movement between anextended and a withdrawn position. Actually, this is not necessarily thecase since it would be sufiicient if one of the carriers 17 is somovable and the other one could then simply be stationary.

The novel clamping device set forth herein in an exemplary embodiment isparticularly suitable, on the one hand, for applications in whichminimum floor space is available and in which it is not tolerable thatthe arms 4 perform movements of considerable magnitude, and on the otherhand lends itself admirably to the automation of the tube inserting andbobbin removing process. An automatic bobbin changing device which iswell adapted for utilizing the clamping device set forth herein isdisclosed in the copending application to which reference has been hadin the introductory comments to this specification. Generally speaking,all that is necessary to automate the supply of empty tubes 20 and theremoval of fully wound bobbins 7 with the clamping device set forthherein is a suitable arrangement which will exert pressure on the fullywound bobbins 7 in the direction transversely of the gap existingbetween the arms 4 and which will present empty bobbin-core tubes 20 inproper position and will again exert pressure so as to insert them intothe novel clamping device. Such an arrangement can be stationary and theswinging movement of the arms 4 about the axis 3 can cause the bobbin 7to bear against the arrangement so as to thereby be ejected, and in turna further swinging movement of the arms 4 can cause the carriers 17 tobear against a suitably located and held empty bobbin-core tube 20 whichwill thereby be inserted into the novel clamping device. Obviously, anysuch general arrangement will result in simple and highly reliableautomation of the bobbin changing process and will thus considerablyspeed this process which heretofore has always constituted a bottleneckin the high speed yarn manufacturing and winding industry.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofdevices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in aclamping device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A clamping device, particularly for supporting bobbins in a textilemachine, comprising a support structure defining a gap; projecting meanscarried by said support structure and comprising two projecting elementsarranged at opposite sides of said gap; and compressible biasing meansserving in compressed condition as sole support for at least one of saidelements and mounting the same for frictionless movement transversely ofsaid said gap between a first and a second position in which it isspaced from the other element by a lesser and a greater distance,respectively, said biasing means being operative for permanently biasingsaid one element to said first position, whereby a tubular bobbin-coremember whose axial length exceeds the lesser distance between saidelements, can be releasably secured to said support structure by beinginserted into said gap transversely of the direction of movement of saidone element, causing the same to be temporarily deflected to said secondposition.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said support structurecomprises two parallel arms rigidly connected to one another and havingrespective end portions defining said gap.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said arms each have anadditional end portion spaced from the respective first-mentioned endportion, and wherein said arms are jointly turnable about an axisextending through the respective additional end portions.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said projecting elements eachconsist of an annular member carried by the respective end portions ofsaid arms.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said annular membersis circumferentially complete and tapers in one axial direction so as tohave a substantially frustoconical cross-sectional configuration, saidannular members being coaxial with one another.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said annular members are socarried by said arms that their axial tapers face one another acrosssaid gap.

7. A clamping device, particularly for supporting bobbins in a textilemachine, comprising a support structure including two parallel armsrigid with one another and having respective end portions defining agap; projecting means carried by said support structure and comprising apair of channel-shaped annular carriers each mounted on one of said endportions of said arms and having an open side facing said gap, and apair of coaxial annular members each having a substantiallyfrustoconical crosssection and being received in one of said carrierswith their respective axial tapers facing one another across said gapand with the tapering portions extending outwardly through therespective open side and the bores retained within the respectivecarrier, at least one of said annular members being movable transverselyof said gap between a first and a second position in which it is spacedfrom the other annular member by a lesser and a greater distance; andbiasing means operatively connected with said one annular member forpermanently biasing the same to said first position, whereby a tubularbobbin-core member whose axial lentgh exceeds the lesser distancebetween said members can be releasably secured to said support structureby being inserted into said gap transversely of the direction ofmovement of said one member, causing the same to be temporarilydeflected to said second position.

8. A device as defined in claim 7; said biasing means comprising springmeans located within the respective carrier and biasing the associatedannular member in outward direction.

9. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said carriers each include aradially outer annular peripheral member, an inner circular membercoaxial with said inner member and defining therewith an annular channelwhose cross-section diverges inwardly of said open side, and an annularbase member secured to said annular peripheral member and said innercircular member opposite said open side and constituting a bottom wallof said channel.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said annular peripheralmember has a tubular first wall portion and a radially inwardly taperingsecond wall portion facing said gap.

977,764 12/1964 Great Britain. 998,640 1/1952 France.

r LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 242-55.2, 55.53, 68.4

